| Title: | 9704 HARMONIZED UPDATE--A+ |
|---|---|
| Date: | 1997-06-05 |
| To: | abi |
| Links: | previous, next |
TO : ALL ABI BROKERS.
FROM : ERIC BLANK
SUBJECT : HSU-9704 HARMONIZED UPDATE--A+
DATE : 06/05/97
HSU9704 HARMONIZED SYSTEM UPDATE
UPDATE NO. 9704 1,290 ABI RECORDS 375 HARMONIZED RECORDS
SUBJECT: CHANGES TO THE 1997 HARMONIZED TARIFF SCHEDULE (HTS)
1. THE ACS DATABASE HAS BEEN UPDATED TO REFLECT CHANGES REQUIRED BY
PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION 7007, TO MODIFY DUTY-FREE TREATMENT UNDER
THE GENERALIZED SYSTEM OF PREFERENCES. PROCLAMATION 7007 WAS
PUBLISHED IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER DATED JUNE 3, 1997. THE
EFFECTIVE DATES VARY BY SECTION; THEY ARE MAY 31, JULY 1, AND
JULY 31. THIS PROCLAMATION, AND THIS UPDATE, DO NOT ALTER THE FACT
THAT THE GSP PROGRAM IS CURRENTLY IN EXPIRED STATUS. THESE CHANGES
ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT THE GSP PROGRAM
WILL BE RENEWED RETROACTIVELY. CURRENTLY, THERE IS NO NEW
INFORMATION REGARDING THE RENEWAL OF THE GSP PROGRAM. FILERS
NEEDING FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING THE EXPIRATION OF THE GSP
PROGRAM ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO READ ADMINISTRATIVE
MESSAGE 97-0518, DATED MAY 23, 1997, BEFORE CALLING CUSTOMS
PERSONNEL.
2. ANNEX II TO PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION 7007 INTRODUCED A NEW ASPECT
TO THE GSP PROGRAM. IT ALLOWS FOR DUTY FREE TREATMENT ON CERTAIN
TARIFF PROVISIONS WHEN ENTERED FROM A LEAST-DEVELOPED BENEFICIARY
DEVELOPING COUNTRY, PROVIDED CERTAIN CONDITIONS ARE MET. THE NEW
PROGRAM BECAME EFFECTIVE ON MAY 31, 1997, AND THEN EXPIRED ALONG
WITH GSP ON JUNE 1, 1997. THE DETAILS OF THIS PROGRAM CAN BE FOUND
IN THE ABOVE MENTIONED PROCLAMATION. THE NEW PROGRAM REQUIRES THE
SPECIAL PROGRAM INDICATOR OF A+. IT WILL TAKE SEVERAL WEEKS FOR
THE A+ INDICATORS TO BE ADDED TO THE ACS TARIFF DATABASE.
THOUSANDS OF TARIFF RECORDS WILL NEED TO BE UPDATED. THIS NEW DATA
WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR ELECTRONIC RETRIEVAL IN UPDATE 9705,
WHICH IS EXPECTED TO BE RELEASED IN EARLY TO MID JULY. HOWEVER,
THE ABI PROGRAMMING TO ALLOW FOR THE TRANSMISSION OF THE A+
INDICATOR IN THE EI APPLICATION HAS NOT YET BEEN COMPLETED. YOU
WILL BE NOTIFIED BY ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE WHEN THIS PROGRAMMING
HAS BEEN COMPLETED. FOR THOSE ENTRY SUMMARIES WHICH ARE FILED
ABI, THE A+ INDICATOR SHOULD NOT BE USED AT THIS TIME. THE MFN
RATE OF DUTY WILL APPLY. IF THE GSP IS RENEWED RETROACTIVELY,
FILERS WILL BE REQUIRED TO REQUEST A REFUND OF DUTIES, IN WRITING,
FROM THE PORT DIRECTOR AT THE APPROPRIATE PORT OF ENTRY FOR ALL
ENTRY SUMMARIES WHICH WERE FILED PRIOR TO THE COMPLETION OF
PROGRAMMING. HOWEVER, THE USE OF THE A+ INDICATOR, AFTER SYSTEM
PROGRAMMING IS COMPLETED, WILL AFFORD ABI FILERS THE BENEFIT OF
NOT HAVING TO REQUEST A REFUND, IN WRITING, FROM THE PORT DIRECTOR
AT THE APPROPRIATE PORT OF ENTRY, PROVIDED THE GSP IS RENEWED WITH
RETROACTIVE EFFECT.
3. AN ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE WILL SOON BE ISSUED BY THE OFFICE OF
FIELD OPERATIONS, EXPLAINING THE DETAILS OF THE NEW A+ PROGRAM.
FILERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO BE PATIENT, AND WAIT FOR THE MORE DETAILED
MESSAGE, BEFORE CALLING CUSTOMS PERSONNEL. THOSE WITH IMMEDIATE
QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS TRADE PROGRAM MAY CONTACT JOHN PIERCE,
AT (202) 927-1249.
4. THE ACS DATABASE HAS ALSO BEEN UPDATED TO ALLOW FOR THE INCREASE
IN THE FEE ON IMPORTED PORK AND PORK PRODUCTS, EFFECTIVE JUNE 12,
1997. NOTE THE FEDERAL REGISTER DATED MAY 13, 1997. QUESTIONS
REGARDING THE PORK FEE MAY BE DIRECTED TO RALPH L. TAPP, USDA, AT
(202) 720-1115.
5. THE UPDATED RECORDS ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE TO ALL ABI USERS AND
CAN BE RETRIEVED ELECTRONICALLY VIA THE PROCEDURES INDICATED ON
PAGE HTS-64 OF THE MARCH 1995 EDITION OF THE CUSTOMS AND TRADE
AUTOMATED INTERFACE REQUIREMENTS (CATAIR) DOCUMENT.
6. IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THE UPDATE PLEASE CONTACT
ERIC BLANK AT (202) 927-0441. IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING
THE GSP OR THE A+ PROGRAM, PLEASE CONTACT JOHN PIERCE AT
(202) 927-1249. IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THE PORK
FEE, PLEASE CONTACT RALPH L. TAPP, USDA, AT (202) 720-1115.